America’s rail system has long paled in comparison to the bullet trains of Japan and France’s Train à Grande Vitesse. But now, historic new federal funding could finally bring high-speed train travel to the US.
In December, the Biden administration announced $8.2 billion in funds will be allotted to 10 passenger rail projects across the US. Two of the projects receiving the largest investments are new high-speed trains in the West that will be among the “first world-class high-speed rail projects in our country’s history,” the White House says.
With top speeds of 200 and 220 miles per hour, the two lines would be the fastest passenger trains in the country, far outpacing the current fastest train in America—the Amtrak Acela. That train, which runs between Boston and Washington DC, currently reaches top speeds of 150 miles per hour (Amtrak’s next generation Acela trains, which begin rolling out in 2024, will reach slightly faster speeds of up to 160 miles per hour).
The new projects would bring passenger trains in the US one step closer to high-speed rail systems in Europe and Asia. “When I ran for president, I made a commitment to build a world-class, high-speed rail worthy of the United States of America,” President Biden said in remarks announcing the funding. “To put our nation back on track with the fastest, safest, and greenest railways in the world. And at long last, we’re building the first high-speed rail project in our nation’s history.”
Not only will the new trains slash travel times compared to driving and help reduce traffic on some of the nation’s busiest roadways—they’ll be cleaner too. The two train lines coming to California will be electric, making them an environmentally friendly alternative to flying or driving, the White House says.
“The tide has turned for high-speed rail in America,” Andy Kunz, president and CEO of US High-Speed Rail said in a statement. “Electrified bullet trains will transform the nation’s transportation system—reducing congestion, helping end our dependency on fossil fuels and advancing the fight against climate change. ”
Here’s what travelers should know about the two high-speed rail projects coming to the western US later this decade: Brightline West and California Inaugural High-Speed Rail Service.
